II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3885 

To expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving 

as family caregivers for certain veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 6, 2024 

Ms. SINEMA (for herself and Mr. MORAN) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Caregiver Re5 education, Reemployment, and Retirement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF MEDICAL CARE COV2 ERAGE FOR CAREGIVERS DESIGNATED AS 

3 PRIMARY PROVIDERS OF PERSONAL CARE 

4 SERVICES FOR VETERANS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a)(4) of section 1781 

6 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting 

7 before the comma at the end the following: ‘‘, including 

8 during the 180-day period following the removal of such 

9 designation unless the individual was dismissed from the 

10 program under section 1720G(a) of this title for fraud, 

11 abuse, or mistreatment’’. 

12 (b) LIMITATION ON ELIGIBILITY FOR CAREGIVERS

13 ENTITLED TO MEDICARE.—Subsection (d) of such section 

14 is amended— 

15 (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para16 graph (5); and 

17 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol18 lowing new paragraph: 

19 ‘‘(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this sub20 section, an individual is not eligible for medical care under 

21 this section during the 180-day period specified under sub22 section (a)(4) if the individual is entitled to hospital insur23 ance benefits under part A of the medicare program dur24 ing such period.’’. 


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1 SEC. 3. EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR CARE2 GIVERS DESIGNATED AS PRIMARY PRO3 VIDERS OF PERSONAL CARE SERVICES FOR 

4 VETERANS. 

5 (a) EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.—Section 1720G of 

6 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

7 end the following new subsection: 

8 ‘‘(e) EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.—(1) The Secretary 

9 shall provide to an individual designated as a primary pro10 vider of personal care services under subsection (a)(7)(A) 

11 employment assistance as follows: 

12 ‘‘(A) Reimbursement of fees associated with 

13 certifications or relicensure necessary for such em14 ployment. 

15 ‘‘(B) For purposes of gaining credit for con16 tinuing professional education requirements, access 

17 to training modules of the Department at no cost. 

18 ‘‘(C) In consultation with the Secretary of De19 fense and the Secretary of Labor, access to employ20 ment assistance under— 

21 ‘‘(i) the Military OneSource program of 

22 the Department of Defense; 

23 ‘‘(ii) the Veterans’ Employment and Train24 ing Service of the Department of Labor; and 


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1 ‘‘(iii) such programs of the Department of 

2 Veterans Affairs as the Secretary of Veterans 

3 Affairs determines appropriate. 

4 ‘‘(2) An individual described in paragraph (1) shall 

5 have access to assistance described in such paragraph— 

6 ‘‘(A) while participating in the program estab7 lished under subsection (a)(1); and 

8 ‘‘(B) during the 180-day period following the 

9 date on which the individual is no longer partici10 pating in such program unless the individual was 

11 dismissed from the program for fraud, abuse, or 

12 mistreatment. 

13 ‘‘(3) The maximum lifetime amount that may be re14 imbursed for an individual under paragraph (1)(A) is 

15 $1,000.’’. 

16 (b) EXPANSION OF AVAILABLE SERVICES.—Sub17 section (a)(3)(A)(ii) of such section is amended— 

18 (1) in subclause (V), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 

19 inserting a semicolon; 

20 (2) in subclause (VI)— 

21 (A) in the matter preceding item (aa), by 

22 inserting ‘‘or agreements’’ after ‘‘contracts’’; 

23 (B) in item (aa), by inserting ‘‘, including 

24 retirement planning services,’’ after ‘‘services’’; 

25 and 


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1 (C) in item (bb), by striking the period at 

2 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

3 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub4 clause: 

5 ‘‘(VI) during the 180-day period following 

6 the date on which the family caregiver is no 

7 longer participating in the program required by 

8 paragraph (1), unless the family caregiver was 

9 dismissed from the program for fraud, abuse, 

10 or mistreatment, such instruction, preparation, 

11 training, and support as the Secretary considers 

12 appropriate to assist the family caregiver in 

13 transitioning away from caregiving.’’. 

14 (c) ASSISTANCE RETURNING TO WORKFORCE.—Sub15 clause (VI) of such subsection is further amended— 

16 (1) in item (aa), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and insert17 ing a semicolon; 

18 (2) in item (bb), by striking the period at the 

19 end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

20 (3) by adding at the end the following new 

21 item: 

22 ‘‘(cc) assistance returning to the 

23 workforce upon discharge or dismissal 

24 from the program required by paragraph 

25 (1) unless the family caregiver was disVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:22 Mar 12, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3885.IS S3885

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1 missed from the program for fraud, abuse, 

2 or mistreatment.’’. 

3 (d) BEREAVEMENT COUNSELING AND SUPPORT.— 

4 Subsection (a)(3)(A)(i)(III) of such section is amended by 

5 inserting before the semicolon the following: ‘‘, including 

6 bereavement counseling and support following the death 

7 of the eligible veteran’’. 

8 (e) STUDY ON PROVISION OF RETURNSHIP PRO9 GRAM.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

11 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec12 retary of Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the 

13 Secretary of Labor, shall complete a study on the 

14 feasibility and advisability of conducting a 

15 returnship program for individuals who are or were 

16 designated as a primary provider of personal care 

17 services under section 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 38, 

18 United States Code, to assist such individuals in re19 turning to the workforce. 

20 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 

21 completion of the study under paragraph (1), the 

22 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet23 erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

24 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a 

25 report on the study. 


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1 (f) STUDY ON INCORPORATING FORMER CAREGIVERS

2 INTO WORKFORCE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF3 FAIRS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec6 retary of Veterans Affairs shall complete a study on 

7 barriers and incentives to hiring individuals who 

8 were designated as a primary provider of personal 

9 care services under section 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 

10 38, United States Code, at facilities of the Depart11 ment of Veterans Affairs to address staffing needs. 

12 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 

13 completion of the study under paragraph (1), the 

14 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet15 erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

16 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a 

17 report on the study, which shall include— 

18 (A) a plan for increasing employment op19 portunities at facilities of the Department for 

20 individuals who were designated as a primary 

21 provider of personal care services under section 

22 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 38, United States Code; 

23 and 


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1 (B) such recommendations for legislative 

2 or administrative action as the Secretary con3 siders appropriate. 

4 SEC. 4. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON EFFORTS OF 

5 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN SUP6 PORTING FAMILY CAREGIVERS 

7 TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM CAREGIVING. 

8 Not later than two years after the date of the enact9 ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 

10 States shall submit to Congress a report assessing the ef11 forts of the Department of Veterans Affairs in supporting 

12 individuals serving as family caregivers under section 

13 1720G(a) of title 38, United States Code, in transitioning 

14 away from caregiving, either by assisting those individuals 

15 with retirement planning or returning to work. 

16 SEC. 5. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY AND ADVISABILITY OF ES17 TABLISHING A RETIREMENT PLAN OR RE18 TIREMENT SAVINGS FOR FAMILY CARE19 GIVERS OF CERTAIN VETERANS. 

20 Not later than one year after the date of the enact21 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in con22 sultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the heads 

23 of such other relevant entities as the Secretary of Veterans 

24 Affairs determines necessary, shall submit to Congress a 

25 report on the feasibility and advisability of, for individuals 


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1 serving as family caregivers under section 1720G(a) of 

2 title 38, United States Code— 

3 (1) establishing an individual retirement plan 

4 (as defined in section 7701(a)(37) of the Internal 

5 Revenue Code of 1986) or similar retirement plan; 

6 or 

7 (2) permitting such individuals to join an al8 ready established pathway to retirement savings. 

Æ 


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